Iris
by darkangel997
Summary: song fict. Horatio and Marisol go to vist Suzie and Madison before a date, and get a nasty suprise Horatio/Marisol Horatio/Madison Marisol/Madison r&r Updated
1. Chapter 1

Like most people here, wished i owned CSI: Miami, but i don't.

oh yeah, bold words are spoken in spanish

_**Iris**_

_**And I'd give up forever to touch you**_

_**Cause I know that you feel me somehow**_

"Hey _**little one**_" Marisol said to Madison with a smile.

"_**Aunt **_Marisol" Madison yelped

"You had Spanish today didn't you" Marisol said

"Yeah" Madison said "Hi Uncle Hoartio"

"Glad you remembered I'm here" he said with a smile kissing her on the top of her head. "Momma's still at work I'm afraid" Madison said letting them in.

"Your on your own?" Horatio asked immediately concerned for his niece  
Madison looked at her uncle "Yeah so?"  
"You're a little young to be on your own" Horatio said quietly  
"_**Well momma left Eric alone, when he was Madison's age**_" Marisol commented in Spanish  
"_**She did**_?"  
"_**Our community was all family… might be why whenever you guys investigated a crime in our area, Eric was a social outcast for months**_" Marisol smiled.

"Now you forgot about me!" Madison exclaimed in English "My Spanish isn't that good"  
"You practice and you'll be able to talk Spanish fluently" Marisol told Madison seriously "  
"I know" She sighed " hey, you guys want somthin' to eat or drink… I'm not totally sure there's anything eatable around but I'm sure I can find somthin'"

"I'd like a water please _**little one**_" Marisol said

"What about you uncle Horatio want anything"  
"a water will be fine honey… in fact I'll come with you"  
"He just wants to make sure Momma's feeding me" Madison told Marisol with a smile

Marisol laughed "You worry to much Horatio" Marisol told him

"Part of my job" He answered automatically.

Horatio wasn't exactly surprised to see the lack of food in the kitchen "What have you been living on recently?" He asked looking in the fridge.

"leftovers…going to Kate's" Madison replied shrugging "No biggie"  
"Yes biggie… You need to eat properly to stay healthy"  
"Horatio I'm ok, alright, don't stress" Madison gave him a small smile.

"Well, you are coming with Marisol and me out for dinner" Horatio said, knowing Marisol would agree once she heard about the lack of food. "Na, its alright, you and Marisol go have your romantic dinner"  
"Madison"  
"Horatio" Madison mimicked the expression her uncle was wearing except her eyes were sparkling. She turned and poured the glasses of water. Passing Horatio one, she walked back into the lounge "_**There's no food in the house**_" Horatio said to Marisol "_**None at all?**_"  
"_**From what I saw, no**_"  
"Then my _**little one **_has to come and eat with us" Marisol said, switching back to English"  
"I already told Horatio that I'm not going" Madison said grumpily  
"Honey you have no choice" Marisol told the little girl seriously.

"She's right you don't" Horatio put in  
"I don't wanna crash your dinner" Madison muttered  
"Don't worry, ok there will be plenty of time for your uncle and I to have dinner together, I just want to be sure you don't go hungry" Marisol's said quietly  
"_**Thanks Aunt **_Marisol" Madison whispered "And you too Uncle Horatio"

"Your welcome honey…go grab a jacket, and I'll write your mother a note about it" Horatio said

_**Yo**__**u're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be**_

_**And I don't want to go home right now**_

"Wow Madison is exhausting" Marisol said collapsing on Horatio's couch.

"Are you alright?" He asked automatically, worried for his fiancé

"I'm fine _**my love**_" She whispered, "just tired"  
"You sure?"  
"I'm sure" Marisol smiled at him tiredly "I don't think that I'll be able to move for a couple of days, at least."

Horatio returned her smile then leant over her. He gently picked her up "What exactly do you think your doing?" Marisol asked.

"Putting you to bed" Horatio whispered to her, kissing her ear.

"Romantic" Marisol accused with a smile.  
"Always"

_**And all I can taste is your sweetness**_

_**And all I can breathe is your life**_

"Hi Marisol" Madison said quietly. Marisol noticed the tiredness in the small girl's eyes. "Are you alright Maddy?" Marisol asked her concerned.

Madison nodded quietly. "Fine _**Aunt**_ Marisol"  
"Where's your mother? I need to talk to her about something important"  
"She's gone to see Tina" Madison replied

Marisol recognised the nickname of crystal meth, and was more concerned when her niece said "I don't think she's going to be home for ages"  
"Maddy why don't you and me go hang out?" Marisol suggested  
"I gotta practice I have a Spanish oral in a couple of days"  
"You know what, Madison, I'll take you home. My mother doesn't speak much English, you can practice on her, and I'll translate if needed"  
"Will your mother mind?" Madison asked her interest sparked.

"No way" Marisol said "she loves kids. She's always on my little brother's back, telling him to settle down and have kids"

Madison nodded "ok" She whispered.

_**And sooner or later it's over**_

_**But I just don't want to miss you right now**_

"Marisol, how are you my daughter" Marisol's mother said coming out of the house. "Momma this is Madison, Horatio's niece, Madison this is my mother" Marisol said

"Hi" Madison said quietly standing behind Mari, scared

"_**Child**_ come in" Marisol's mother said  
"Momma Madison has a Spanish assignment she needs to do for school and we were wondering if she could practice on you"  
"Of course you can Madison, you talk to me and I'll help as much as I can" Leah, Mari's mother, told the little girl who grinned when Marisol translated "_**Thanks**_" Maddy said "_**it's fine**_ Madison, now lets start, show me your book" Leah said.

"I just need to make a phone call, I'll be right back" Marisol walked into the lounge, and dialled Horatio's number. "Caine" He answered, sounding slightly annoyed. "Bad day _**my**_ _**love**_?" Marisol asked with a smile  
"Hmm you could say that" Horatio answered with a sigh "Is everything ok?"

"I'm afraid my news isn't going to make your day any better" Marisol sighed

"Hearing from you makes my day better, what's your news?"  
"I went to visit Suzie and Madison today. Maddy was on her own again and told me her mother's gone to see Tina"  
"Tina?" Marisol could hear the anger and frustration in Horatio's voice as he uttered the words. "Ok, where's Madison now?"  
"With me at my mothers. Maddy has a Spanish oral in a few days, so she's practicing her Spanish on my mother"  
"When you're finished there would you mind bringing her into the lab? I'll take her until I can talk to Suzie again"  
"Are you sure? She can stay with me until you're off shift"  
"I don't want to trouble you"

"You sound like Maddy" Marisol laughed "She'll stay with me until you finish work then we'll go talk to Suzie together"  
"You have all planned out sweetheart?' Horatio said with a laugh  
Marisol laughed at him "See you in a few hours _**my love**_"

"Can't wait" Horatio said, sounding defeated again, "Tell Maddy I said hi and I'll talk to you both later"

Marisol went back into the kitchen to check on her niece and mother's Spanish lesson.

_**And I don't want world to see me**_

_**Cause I don't think that they'd understand**_

"Mari, what are you doing here?" Eric asked, noticing his sister standing near reception with a small girl near her. Marisol gave her brother a wry smile "Aren't you meant to be at home? Momma said you were going home for dinner"  
"I was, but we caught a case" Eric sighed. "IAB is all over us"  
"That explains why Horatio was annoyed earlier" Marisol said "So no chance your getting off any time soon?"  
"Nope, Why?"  
"I had plans, I guess they're going to have to wait"  
"_**Aunt**_ Marisol I'm hungry" Madison complained, reminding Marisol that she was there. "I have to talk to your uncle, _**little one**_, then we'll go find something to eat"

Marisol said "Ok" Madison said.

"You know, there's a great vending machine in the break room"  
"_**No way no junk food**_" Marisol said automatically

"Aw come on mum, besides I practically live on the junk" Eric replied in English, "Besides the kid's starving aren't you"  
Madison didn't answer not knowing if Eric was talking to her.  
"Are you starving Madison?"  
"No" she told him hiding behind Marisol

"He's safe Madison, he's my brother"

Madison looked up at the two at the two adults, then hid completely behind Marisol

"What's going on?" Horatio asked coming across to them.

"We're trying to convince pequeño here Eric's safe" Marisol said with a sigh, putting her hand on Madison's head "He's big" Madison said

"I am aren't I" Eric laughed "I'll leave you guys alone. Bye Madison"  
"Bye" Madison whispered, watching him leave. She then looked up at her uncle "I practiced Spanish with Mari's mother" Madison informed Horatio "her mother said I was good and I can call her _**grandmother**_ if I wants"

"Did she now? Well sounds like you've had a good time" Horatio smiled at her. "Yeah I did" Madison said "I have to go home soon though" She looked disappointed at the thought. Marisol touched Madison's shoulder "Don't worry" Marisol said with a small smile. "Maddy, I was wondering, would you like to stay here for a while, while I finish work, then we will go talk to your mother"

"Why do you want to talk to momma for?" Madison asked  
"Because, Madison, because she is not looking after you properly and I want to know why"  
"She's not?" Madison said "It's the same as what I'm used to"  
Marisol could see the anger written in Horatio's eyes and his body language "Madison, you deserve a lot better then what we saw at your house the other day" Marisol told Maddy gently "Every kid does"  
"No one's like me" Madison muttered. "I'm goin' home I'll see you guys later"  
"Maddy" Horatio said. The little girl ran away.

_**When everything's made to be broken**_

_**I just want you to know who I am**_

Horatio arrived at Suzie's a few hours later. "Horatio Hi… what's going on?" Suzie asked as she let him in. He didn't answer straight away, firstly giving her a once over. All the signs were there. "Suzie tell me that you're still clean"  
Suzie immediately looked away from him.

_**And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming**_

_**Or the moment of truth in your eyes**_

Marisol spotted Madison sitting on the front porch of Horatio's condo. "I didn't want to go home" Madison said

"_**Little one**_ come here" Marisol whispered. Madison whimpered then ran into Marisol's arms.

_**When everything feels like the movies**_

_**Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive**_

"Where is Madison?" Horatio asked Suzie

"I haven't seen her since I left this morning" Suzie shrugged

Horatio's phone began ringing. The caller Id said it was Marisol. "Hi" Horatio's voice was quiet, as he tried to control his anger "Madison is with me… she went to your house"  
_**"Is she ok?"**_ Horatio asked switching to Spanish

"Yes, just upset, how much longer are you going to be?"  
"I'm going to grab her a bag of clothes, and then I'll come back"  
"Ok" Marisol sighed.

"Love you" Horatio said to her

"Love you" Marisol hung up, and Horatio turned back to Suzie "Madison is coming to stay with me"

_**And I don't want world to see me**_

_**Cause I don't think that they'd understand**_

Marisol and Madison were still sitting on Horatio's front step when he arrived back at his house. He looked at them for a moment enjoying the view. He knew, despite their trying, Madison might be the closest thing he and Marisol ever get to their own daughter. He slowly got out of his car, and walked over to them "couldn't you get in?" He asked.

"We're enjoying the night" Marisol said "aren't we _**little one**_"

"Yeah… Mari's trying to show me the constellations, but I can't see them"

"It's difficult here in the city. Now if you were at my house in Cuba, you could see them easily" Marisol told her

"Oh… Where have you been Uncle Horatio?"  
"I, I went to talk to your mother Madison" Horatio said sitting next to Madison on the opposite side to Marisol. Madison sighed "You worry too much Uncle Horatio" she informed him "Me and Momma are alright"  
"I know that, but the meth can make your mother very sick, and I don't want that to happen to her"

"It makes people die" Madison said "but momma's an adult she can make decisions"  
"But you shouldn't have to live with her decisions, not the bad ones"  
"Doesn't mean you have to look after me"  
"I want to Madison, I care about you"  
"Why?"  
Horatio glanced at Marisol, who had stayed silent she nodded at him "Because…Because you're my niece, my family…I don't want you to ever doubt that your loved because you are, by me and Marisol"

Madison looked at him, then turned to Marisol "I'm cold" she whispered.

"Come on we'll go inside"

_**When everything's made to be broken**_

_**I just want you to know who I am**_

"She's scared Horatio" Marisol told him. They were sitting together on his couch, Madison had gone to bed. "About what?"  
"Everyone who's cared about her, has left her" Marisol said "Bob, Ray jr., Suzie, they've left her alone, and she's just scared to let anyone to close to her, that's all"

"I've been around her since she was four, I'm not about to leave now"  
"Fear isn't logical Horatio, you should know that" Marisol looked across at him. He visibly upset about what had happened with Maddy, which made Marisol move, and lean her head against him "Maddy will be ok" Marisol whispered "We'll be ok"

"I know" he whispered back

_**And I don't want world to see me**_

_**Cause I don't think that they'd understand**_

Horatio looked into the spare bedroom, early the next morning. Madison was still there he saw with a sigh. Her face was a picture of peace, something that Horatio had never seen on Madison before. He smiled. "Horatio?" Marisol whispered

"Go back to bed sweetheart, I'm just checking on Madison"  
"Seeing if she was still there?" Marisol asked Horatio looked at her with surprise "You know you are the third woman I swear can read my mind"  
"The third?" Marisol asked curiously

"The other two are Alexx, the M.E at work, and my mother"

Marisol smiled. "When you let people in, _**my love**_, your not that hard to read"

Horatio smiled, as Marisol hugged him "She looks so peaceful"

"Yeah" Mari smiled then Horatio heard her yawn

"Marisol, you better go back to bed"  
"I like this" She said, ignoring Horatio "watching her"  
Horatio immediately picked up on what she was thinking "soon, sweetheart" He said touching her hand "soon, we'll have our own little one"

"Now who's reading minds" Marisol asked as Horatio walked her back to their bedroom. "a gift sweetheart" Horatio laughed "Now, unless you want Eric to make my life as miserable as he possibly can, because I didn't look after you properly, get some sleep"

"Night Horatio"

_**When everything's made to be broken**_

_**I just want you to know who I am**_

Madison walked into the kitchen. "Hi uncle Horatio" She said quietly.

"Hey Maddy, sleep ok?"  
"Yeah" Madison nodded. "I think I kinda owe you an apology, I was a brat yesterday, and you and Mari are trying to help me…anyway I'm sorry"

"Maddy come here" Horatio said Madison stood at arms length. Horatio leaned forward and grabbed her hand and gently pulled her towards him "Maddy I know this is hard for you, trust me If I thought there was a way to get your mother off the meth with you there, I would do it…but you might be the only person who can convince her to get off"  
Madison nodded "I wanna get her off too" she admitted "I love you too, uncle Horatio"

"_**Little one**_, you need to go get ready for school" Marisol said quietly, making the other two jump "ok _**Aunt**_ Marisol" Madison said grinning. She started to walk into the spare bedroom, but changed her mind, and hugged Marisol "what was that for?" Marisol asked

"Cause I can" Madison replied winking at her aunt, turning around and running into the spare room. Marisol laughed then went over to the coffee maker. "I need to wake up" she mumbled. Horatio smiled "You know what" he said

"What?"  
"I think you look the most beautiful in the morning before your coffee"

Marisol smiled "save the compliments until I can comprehend what you're saying alright _**my love**_" She told him going across to him and kissing him gently

"Gross!" Madison declared appearing again. The two adults laughed at her.

_**And I don't want world to see me**_

_**Cause I don't think that they'd understand**_

Madison skipped her first class and went to visit her mother. "Maddy are you ok? Where did you stay last night?"  
"At uncle Horatio's….Momma I'm going to stay there until you get clean again, cause I don't want you to die from the bad stuff"  
"Maddy I'm going to get clean, but I need you"  
"I'll still be around, but I'm not going to live here that's all"  
"Madison please don't leave"  
"You broke your promise momma, so I'm going away until you can make me trust you when your clean" Madison turned to leave "Bye Momma"

_**When everything's made to be broken**_

_**I just want you to know who I am**_

Madison sat on the beach, watching the sun go down. Horatio and Marisol were sitting a little away from her, enjoying the peace. "Maddy looks happy" Horatio said quietly. "Yeah" Marisol said. She looked at him. "She's not the only one"

Horatio laughed "You know I haven't come to the beach, just to be here for a long time"  
"Somthin' you're going to have to get used to, if you plan to keep Madison and I around" Marisol informed him.

"I do" Horatio said kissing Marisol.

"Good because I plan on keeping you two, too" She whispered.

_**I just want you to know who I am**_

_**I just want you to know who I am**_

_**I just want you to know who I am**_


	2. Chapter 2

A few people asked me to add another chapter to IRIS, so here it is...

_**Daddy's little Girl**_

_**He drops his suitcase by the door  
She knows her daddy won't be back anymore**_

_It should be raining _Madison thought as she pulled on her black t-shirt _I really hate Miami weather on days like today. _She walked into the living room, where Horatio was sitting, the photo of the wedding in his hand. Madison's arms went around his shoulders. "Time to go" She said quietly

"I know" Horatio said quietly. His hand placed the photo back on the mantle piece. Madison gently pulled him out the door, wanting to stop his pain but knowing nothing could help her uncle, not until after this was over.

_**She drags her feet across the floor  
Tryna hold back time to keep him holding on  
And she says**_

Madison watched him quickly pack clothes into a bag, fury still in his eyes. "For what it's worth" she whispered "I think this is a bad idea. But I understand as well"

Horatio turned to look at her. His eyes told her everything she needed to know. Ever since the funeral, his mind had been set on getting the Mal Noche, on getting Riaz. Madison understood that, and felt the same, but she knew her uncle too. And she knew if he did this, then he would pass a line where he couldn't return. He'd told her once, when they were talking about Raymond, that there was a thin line between good and bad cop, and Madison knew Horatio walked it. She was just as angry about her aunt's death as he was. But somehow she managed to stay rational. "Uncle Horatio" She pleaded.

"I need to Maddy" He said quietly

"And Eric? You gunna bring him down with you when you go?"  
"His choice"  
"Your example." Madison countered angrily. "Marisol would be just as angry about this as I am, and you know it"

_**Daddy Daddy don't leave  
I'll do anything to keep you**_

"She's not here to be angry. This 'man'" He spat out the word "this man took her away from us"  
"I don't want to lose you too Horatio damn it!" Madison exclaimed banging the wall. "You do this and that's it"  
"Marisol was my life. Riaz took her away from me, so now he pays"

_**Right here with me  
Can't you see how much I need you**_

"How many people have you told that revenge doesn't work?" Madison asked blocking the door as he tried to leave  
"This isn't revenge, this is justice"  
"There's a thin line between revenge and justice, and you passed it ages ago" Madison let him see the hate in her eyes. "I agree that he shouldn't been extradited, he should be facing a court for what he did, but this isn't going to work Horatio. It's going to kill you!"  
"Move" Horatio said quietly

"No"

Horatio pushed Madison out of the way. She fell, landing on her shoulder. He didn't hear her cry of pain.

_**Daddy Daddy don't leave  
Mommy's saying things she don't mean**_

Alexx arrived a few hours later. She unlocked the door, with the key Horatio had given her years ago, and looked in the house for Madison. She heard crying coming from the hallway. "Maddy!" Alexx cried, seeing the girl against a wall crying uncontrollably.

"My shoulder" Madison moaned. Alexx quickly leant down to the girl, and gently touched it. Madison screamed in pain. "Baby it's dislocated. What happened?"  
"He didn't realise." Madison whispered.  
_Horatio Caine you better have a good reason for this! _Alexx thought helping Madison get up.

_**She don't know what she's talking about  
Somebody hear me out**_

Horatio looked at his condo. It was dark, surprisingly. He wondered if Madison was still at Alexx's, although the ME didn't mention it. He unlocked the door, and turned on the light. His eyes immediately saw the paper on the counter. He picked it up, and saw it was a letter to Madison

_Dear Miss Caine,_

_We are pleased to inform you, you have been awarded a scholarship at our school._

_Please be at our school at 9am on 23__rd__ of August._

He couldn't read the rest. Madison had gone. And now he was truly alone.

_**Father listen  
Tell him that he's got a home and he don't have to go**_

Her eyes opened suddenly. Looking over at the small digital clock next to her, she saw it was four in the morning. Madison sighed. "Four years" She whispered to the dark. Four years since she'd had the argument with Horatio, since Marisol died. Four years since she'd been offered a place at the boarding school, and had jumped at the chance. The light from the clock lit up the photo of Marisol, Horatio, and herself, that day at the beach. She picked it up and looked at it. "_**Aunt**_ Mari, I miss you." She told the picture. The door to her room opened. The hall monitor hurried in and turned on the light. "Get up!" She said

"Why?" Madison moaned, shielding her eyes from the light.

"Your uncle's been shot. One of he's CSI's are here to pick you up"  
Within seconds she was moving.

_**Father save him  
I would do anything in return**_

"Eric!" Madison cried, throwing her overnight bag to the side and burying herself into her 'uncle's' arms "Eric what happened?"  
"Horatio got between a bullet and a boy named Julias" Eric said quietly.

"Oh god" Madison whispered, her legs almost collapsing.

_**I'll clean my room  
Try hard in school  
I'll be good  
I promise you  
Father, Father  
I pray to you**_

Madison climbed out of the car quickly, wanting to get to Horatio as quickly as she could. "Maddy" Eric said grabbing her arm. She looked at him angrily, her eyes questioning him. "I need to warn you. It's bad."  
"What do you mean?" Madison asked. "He got shot"  
"He didn't just get shot. He was tortured." Eric was always blunt with her, giving her the information she needed to hear. Madison nodded. "I'm just saying be prepared for the worst, ok" Eric said quietly.

Eric lead her through the hospital to ICU. There was a large group near the door to Horatio's room. The CSI's he worked with, Yelina and Ray Jr., and another boy, who Madison guessed was Kyle. She'd never met her cousin, but she'd worry about that later. She moved to look through the window that looked into Horatio's room. The pain in her stomach almost overpowered her. "Horatio" She moaned, under her breath. The tubes, wires, and bandages covered most of his body. Eric grabbed her before she fell. "Maddy it's gunna be ok, it's gunna be ok" He repeated as the tears began to fall. "Horatio" She cried out. The grief in her voice was unmistakable.

_**Now she hasn't slept in weeks  
She don't want to close her eyes cause she's scared that he'll leave**_

Slowly the crowd dispersed, leaving Eric and Madison. "You want something to eat?" He asked quietly. The girl shook her head. "_**Little one" **_Eric said quietly, "You need to eat"

"I will, not just at the moment. What time is it?" She asked

He glanced at his watch "8pm" he said.

Madison nodded. The doctor came into the hall and saw Madison and Eric sitting there. After checking on Horatio, he came out. "You can go into him now" the doctor said. "He's stable enough"

Madison was in the door immediately. Her hand was on his, and she saw his eyes flicker slightly. "Horatio?" She whispered "Horatio can you hear me?"  
His hand moved, clasping hers in it. "Horatio" She said, with a small smile in her eyes. "Hey you not gunna leave me here with just Eric, are you?" She whispered.

The grip on her hand tightened, and it made her smile "That's what I thought." She said.

_**They tried just about everything  
It's getting harder now**_

_**For him to breathe  
And she says**_

Suzie opened the door, to see Madison standing there "Maddy!" She exclaimed, seeing the grief in her daughter's eyes. "Hi Mamma" She whispered. "How's Izzy, and Josh?"  
"They're both fine." Suzie said as Madison walked inside. "They're out at the moment though. What's going on Maddy?"  
"Horatio, Horatio was shot." Madison choked out. "He's dying Mamma"  
"Maddy" Suzie whispered, "oh baby come here." Ever since Horatio had taken Madison away from her, there had been a crack between mother and daughter. After Suzie's marriage to Josh, and the birth of Izzy, the crack had worsened. But for the moment, all of this was forgotten as Suzie tried to comfort her eldest daughter.

_**Daddy Daddy don't leave  
I'll do anything to keep you**_

Madison returned to the hospital to find only Kyle was left. "Hi" Madison said quietly

"Hey"

Maddy looked through the window, "He looks so weak" She said quietly. "it's hard to see that it's really him"  
"Yeah" Kyle replied. "I remember seeing him for the first time and thinking 'I don't want to deal with that cop'"

"When I first met him, I'd cut my knee" Madison said smiling at the memory. "Horatio put a handkerchief on it to make it feel better"

"How old were you?" Kyle asked

"four" Madison replied. "Horatio was there to arrest my 'father'. After that he was always there for me, and Mamma. He became my 'father figure' and after I moved in with him, the 'figure' part dropped"  
"You lived with him?" Kyle asked, wondering why he never knew about it.

"For awhile, until Marisol died. After that, I went to boarding school. We didn't talk much after that."  
"Why?"  
"Just didn't" Madison said shrugging, not wanting to go into details.

_**Right here with me**_

_**Can't you see how much I need you?**_

"I won't be coming back to school" Madison said to the headmistress, Mrs Carter, over the phone.  
"I hope your uncle recovers fully" Mrs Carter replied. "He's lucky to have a niece who cares about him so much"  
"I'm the lucky one" Madison replied.

_**Daddy, Daddy don't leave**_

_**The doctors are saying things they don't mean**_

Slowly, Horatio got worse, and worse. The doctors realised quickly that he wouldn't make it, and let the rest of the family know. Madison refused to believe it. She refused to leave him, not even to eat or sleep, and no one could get through to her. No one had realised how deep the bond between Horatio and Madison ran. It was deeper than blood, deeper than niece and uncle, deeper than daughter and father, even. It was something that no one could understand. In the moments he was awake, and lucid, which were few and far between, the only person he seemed to recognise it was her. But now it had been almost 3 weeks since he'd been awake, and the latest test had shown there was little brain activity. Even Madison had to admit it. Horatio was dying. "Daddy" Madison whispered. His eyes opened suddenly. "Maddy" he rasped.

_**They don't know what they're talking about**_

_**Somebody here me out**_

"Horatio!" Madison said moving so he could see her clearly "Daddy I'm here"  
"My Maddy" He uttered, his eyes closing again

"Forever" Madison whispered, as the machines began buzzing, letting the doctors know that Horatio had gone.

_**Father, Listen**_

_**Tell that he has a home and he don't have to go**_

Eric held Madison tightly as she watched them wheel Horatio's body out of the room. He didn't ask the question, like the others. He just kept close, knowing Madison needed to be near someone who understood. "He's gone" She said suddenly, like she couldn't believe it herself.

"Yeah" Eric said "You'll be ok"

"I'm sorry Horatio" She whispered, as Eric finally managed to pull her away from the room.

_**Father, Save him**_

_**I will do anything in return**_

_**I'll clean my room,**_

_**Try hard at school**_

_**I'll be good I promise you**_

_**Father, Father**_

"She's doing it tough" Eric said quietly to Calliegh.

"They were each other's lifeblood, especially after Marisol…" Calliegh sighed her own greif apparent. "Horatio seemed…."  
"Invincible" Eric finished

"Yeah… I can't believe it" Calliegh whispered, "I can't believe he's really gone."  
"I don't think anyone can" Eric said to her.

_**Please don't let him go**_

_**I'm begging you so**_

_**Please open his eyes**_

_**Need a little more time**_

_**To tell him I love him more**_

_**Than anything in this world**_

_**Daddy's little girl**_

Madison's eyes opened. _Today's the day _she thought _the end of the world. _She opened the curtins, and typically, the sun shone through. Cursing the weather in English and Spanish, Madison went into the bathroom. She was staying at her uncle's unit, alone. She needed space to deal with his death, and they were all kind enough to give her that. Yelina, being Horatio's official next of kin, had kindly refused the state's offer for a public memorial, which made Madison feel thankful. She didn't think she'd be able to cope, with all that crap that went into those things. As it was it was going to be difficult. Washing her face to try and wake herself up, she was surprised to see Horatio's reflection in the mirror. She turned, but he wasn't there. _Ghost _She thought to herself, shaking her head to get rid of the image in her head. He was haunting her. A knock on the door, pulled Madison out of her thoughts, and she ran to the door. Alexx. She was all dressed up, ready for the funeral, and Madison felt slightly shabby, in her pyjamas. "Slow waking up this morning baby?" Alexx asked smiling at the sight of the girl. Madison started muttering under her breath, and walked back into her bedroom, to change. "It doesn't start for hours yet" Maddy yelled at Alexx. "I know, I'm just here to make sure you come"  
"But I don't want to go Alexx" Maddy whined.

"Baby don't you want to say goodbye"  
"No" She admitted. "If I say goodbye it's real, and he's gone" Madison said coming into the room, stuck in a sweater. "Help" she muttered.

Alexx laughed and pulled the sweater down, and Madison's head was free.  
"He's gone baby." Alexx said to her

"I didn't want him to go"

"No one did, but you saw how hurt he was. It was probably merciful"  
"You believe in God, Alexx?" Madison asked suddenly.

"I don't know honey" Alexx admitted.

"at least, at least he'll be with Mari now" Madison started to sob, finally crying for her loss.

_**Father, Listen**_

_**Tell that he has a home and he don't have to go**_

_**Father, Save him**_

_**I will do anything in return**_

_**I'll clean my room,**_

_**Try hard at school**_

_**I'll be good I promise you**_

_**Father, Father**_

Maddy looked out to the ocean, remembering the last time she'd been here. It was with Marisol, and Horatio, just after they'd taken her in. Madison's life had changed in so many ways since then, but two things still were with her; Her love for her aunt and uncle, and her desire to become a CSI, to be as good as Horatio. Her fingers played with Horatio's sunglasses, something she'd stolen from his house a few days before, after the funeral. "**Tomorrow's a new day**" She whispered, putting Horatio's sunglasses on. "Bye Uncle Horatio"

She thought she heard him whisper. "Bye **Little one**"

_**She was Daddy's little girl**_


End file.
